Why The Giants will not take Dan Connor
Just like last year myself and many other Giant fans were tired of seeing the Giants get a Penn state LB in what seemed like every mock draft. What is more painful to me is most of these so called experts analysis of the Giants selection saying that we lost 2 starting LB’s in the off-season which obviously isn’t the case. Us Giants fans know that Reggie Torbor was essentially a special teams player that provided depth at the LB position while with the Giants. Now when Mathias Kiwanuka gets hurt and Torbor fills in nicely he all of a sudden was a starter all along? I mean no disrespect to Reggie Torbor and I’m sure I speak for every Giants fan when I say I really respect the way he played down the stretch, but I just don’t know where people are getting this.
I may be in the minority in this but I feel that LB isn’t a real need for the Giants. I felt the same way last year as well when everyone was predicting us to take a LB. What people don’t understand is that in the system that Spags’ runs having top LB’s isn’t necessary. He comes from the Jim Johnson system and the Eagles haven’t drafted a LB high or had a top LB in years. With our defense being based off of the same scheme I doubt you see the Giants drafting a LB high once again.
Another reason I don’t feel LB is a big need is because the projected starters for this years Giants team could have very well been last years as well. Many Giants fans were eager to see Gerris Wilkinson and Kawika Mitchell battle it out in training camp to see who would start at WLB but Wilkinson got hurt and through the year Mitchell played well enough to not lose the job. Wilkinson will be back healthy this season and I am excited to see what he can do because he has shown flashes and last year Antonio Pierce publicly endorsed him as the starting WLB for the Giants.
With all that said of all the LB’s the Giants could possibly take Dan Connor would be the worst fit and I’m very tired of seeing the pick predicted. The Giants defense for LB’s is based on being able to blitz and being athletic enough to cover. Dan Connor is more of a MLB and has been labeled that by many scouts but he could also play WLB in the NFL. Connor is not nearly as fast or athletic as Gerris Wilkinson and would not be an upgrade. Connor also struggles in coverage at times and is not a great blitzer which as I mentioned are exactly what the Giants need at LB. He doesn’t have fluid hips to turn and run in man coverage and also has minor character concerns which will hopefully keep the Giants away. He is a little overrated as a prospect because he is coming out of ”LB U”. Connor might end up being a good pro in the NFL, but he doesn’t belong in this system.Â
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28 Responses to “Why The Giants will not take Dan Connor”
April 6th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
“Mitchell will be back healthy this season and I am excited to see what he can do because he has shown flashes and last year Antonio Pierce publicly endorsed him as the starting WLB for the Giants.”
-you mean Wilkinson will be back healthy this season. Mitchell went to the Bills in FA.
other then that i agree with everything you say. the coaches are high on Wilkinson, Kiwi was improving before he was injured and though he didn’t have a Pro Bowl type season last year, Pierce is still the man. plus with Blackburn, DeOssie and now Clark, i think we have pretty decent depth as well.
April 6th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Agree. Safety and CB are higher priorities. An OLB in rounds 3-5 would be good for depth.
But if Mayo or Gooden were to drop to the Giants second round pick then it would be hard to pass on them.
Other contingency is that Stahan retires and Kiwi goes back to DE so OLB becomes more urgent. Or Osi really holds out.
Need a safety in the first round - Sanders would be OK if Phillips is gone. After that, be opportunistic.
April 6th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Sean-100% agree! I HATE the Conor pick! Everything I’ve read says he’s awful in coverage; NO THANKS!
We just won the Super Bowl…and we lost 2 starters from that roster which means two things: 1. We don’t have many NEEDS and 2. We don’t have many open roster spots. One of those spots vacated, LB, has already been addressed by Wilkinson/Clark. Personally, I like what I saw from Wilkinson last year…and am confident in him, for at least this season. They will compete for the position, but whoever wins, I believe should be able to fill in adequately this this season. Along with that, we’ve got a healthy Kiwi coming back. I thought he was making solid strides as an LB for a first timer, and will only get better; to me, he’s an Adalius Thomas type. We have adequate depth in whoever doesn’t start between Wilkinson/Clark, Blackburn and DeOssie (who I think is going to be a pretty solid player.)
The second vacated position is FS. To me, THIS should be our primary concern. Yes, we signed Sammy Knight and we have MJ and Butler…but all of them are SS. I think Knight will be a solid contributer, and a mentor in the way that Madison/McQuarters were to players like Ross and Webster last year…and while I do REALLY like MJ, I’m not sure he’s ready to start yet. I think that with this need being as pressing an issue as it is we should do one of two things: 1. IF it doesn’t appear Phillips will be on the board when we pick, MOVE DOWN and grab him! 2. As some of the “trade up” posts have said, trade our pick to someone like Atlanta, KC or someone with a top 5-10 pick in the 2nd who could be looking to grab a QB before Miami and take either Tyrell Johnson or DaJuan Morgan, and then utilize some of our picks to move from our last spot in the 2nd and move down to grab a solid CB. Someone like Cason (if he slips…hard to tell until draft day), Porter, Godfrey, possibly Flowers…or someone pretty solid should be available mid way through the 2nd. I know a lot of people want an OT, but I honestly think that we’re set there…at least for next season. I thought Diehl did a great job for a first year player at LT, and will only improve…and Whimper could end up being good. Having said that, if someone solid is left we could take them, and then draft Ikegwouna with one of our LATE picks to learn from Madison/McQuarters this season…learn the playbook and watch film; he was projected as a 1-3 round pick and shut down premier WR’s all season…we’d get him at a decent price and have him for next season, when (if not this off season) both RW and Madison will likely be gone.
April 6th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Sean….totally agree with you an the linebacker situation.
We’ve got our starters in place (Mathias, Pierce and Wilkinson). No need in drafting a top talent at this position. However, its going to boil down to bpa. Something that the Giants have had the luxury of for a couple years.
Conner reminds me of Bobby Carpenter a player highly looked at in college but a player who lacked the ability to transfer that talent to the pros.
Reese isn’t drafting players based on name recognition, he’s looking for players that fit the system and I agree Conner doesn’t fit the system.
April 6th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Tell your front office to remember the Steelers come draft day. We do get along very well with each other and have traded in the past.
The Steelers could be looking to move down. If Phillips is available when the team is on the clock at #23, call up and offer your third and fourth round pick and it’s a done deal. We will glady move down to #31.
Unless Brendan Albert is available when we are on the clock, and then you can forget it.
April 6th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
3rd and 4th round plus # 31…. thats a little much i’d say…… 4th and 31 maybe but not both and 31st pick, that would just be ignorant…….
April 6th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Brendan-I wouldn’t be opposed to that. I mean, we need a few guys who can come in and have an immediate impact; Phillips is one of those guys! We gave the Steelers are 25th spot a few years back for their 32nd along with their 3rd and 4th…so this would work out. We could get a solid player in the 1st and 2nd round, and then use our remaining pics for depth…
April 7th, 2008 at 7:12 am
Has anyone seen Mayock’s NFL network mock draft??? He has us taking Manningham at 31…… I like the pick, but what does everyone else think????
April 7th, 2008 at 7:53 am
Brendan: It might be steep for you if you are cheap… :) But I am just going by the Draft Trade chart. The numbers add up (3rd + 4th to get it done).
It would be a nice fit, as the two organizations get along well because of the Mara/Rooney relationship.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Brendan I saw that Draft and 100% disagree, I think that pick is horrible, if you look at that draft Phillips wasn’t even predicted in the first round. If the Giants are able to pick with Manningham and Phillips both available do you think Mario is the right choice????
April 7th, 2008 at 9:25 am
how about this scenario…..rumor has it the dolphins are interested in jeremy shockey……. say we get them to give us their 2nd round pick for shockey, do we do it??? and if so, how would you all feel about selecting phillips and manningham with those two picks??? Not going to happen but lets get hypothetical for a minute……To me, that would be worth it cuz im telling you Manningham is going to be a steal.
April 7th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Ok back to back picks like that would be great, but I am a big Shockey fan so to lose him to a unproven rookie I don’t feel would be worth it. Shockey may be a whiner at times but his run blocking is ridiculous look how our yards per carry dropped after his injury http://www.giants.com/news/spe.....y_id=27037 Manningham was a great college WR but the way he prepared for the combine with that 40 time standing at 5′ 9″ I wouldn’t want to give up Shockey for that. Trading draft picks to move up in the 2nd to get him, that would be worth it. But I also think WR is not a major concern, we have Jenkins, Moss, Smith and Tyree who will all be competing for #3. My hopes are that we get Phillips in the 1st. We def need safety help!
April 7th, 2008 at 10:33 am
The Giants are set to repeat. Jerry Reese is the best GM in the NFL. I just can’t wait for the draft to see how our new team is going to come together.
I think getting a tackle is our biggest priority. Eli needs more time and David Diehl at guard would really upgrade on line and give us more depth. Then we must draft another DB (corner or safety).
Adding another playmaker on offense would be great.
Besides that we have no pressing needs. Linebacker depth would be nice. Whoever said DeOssie is good is wrong. From everything I have seen he sucks. Chase Blackburn looks a lot better, the carolina playoff game is a prime example.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I m not real high on the LB’s in this year’s class. Definitly not connor. I like mayo better, think he would fit into our system well. Plus he might be there in the second round. Thats a stretch though. Our real need is at FS. Phillips looks good but I like the kid from NC state better. OT would also be a good spend for our first round pick. We need to start prepping someone in case one of our starters goes down. Plus Kareem is on the downside.
Like the comments about manningham. I dont think we need a reciever but other than hardy, manningham is high on my list.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Take a corner in the first (Cason - Thorpe winner - like ARoss) then move RWM to safety, he’s a ball hawk, he’ll pick up a few back there. SM, KD, CW, GP in nickel and dime packages. 2nd round, Trevor Laws, 2nd coming of JTuck.
April 7th, 2008 at 11:50 am
s. phillips phillips phillips yes this is what we need now now now now dam-it do what it takes get it done
April 7th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I think this mock with us taking Manningham is like every other mock draft by these guys year after year-WAY OFF! We don’t need a WR! Burress will be healthy, Toomer’s back…Smith is here, Jennings and London are good…Tyree and Hixon will be on board for special teams…and there’s Moss. Just like last year, we were going to take an OT or LB-they don’t ever know the TRUE needs of the Giants. We need help in the secondary-FS and CB! After that, all we need..for this season at least…is depth. And not even a lot of depth! We’ve got 5 roster spots…Phillips is the way to go…even if we’ve got to move to get him!
April 7th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
All this negative Dan Connor talk has gotten me down. I’m a PSU grad and watched him all 4 years, and whenever a good defensive play happened, he was always in the middle of it. I’m not claiming he’s the best player for Spag’s system, nor do I necessarily feel LB is our greatest need, but I felt I need to give props to a player I admire.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
It will be the best player available. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Reese take an offensive tackle and go safety in the second. But I wouldn’t be unhappy if he goes for a Corner and Safety in the with first two rounds. Why not? I personally like Antoine Cason, Reggie Smith, and Tyrell Johnson. Any two of the three can be had if the draft falls to us the way we hope. Linebacker only if Mayo is there at #64 and all three secondary guys listed above are gone by then. I think the knuckleheads predicting us taking Conner or Mario Manningham at #31 know nothing about the Giants. Don’t read too many Mock Drafts - they cause Alzheimer’s.
April 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Ernie Accoursi would have been more likely to draft Conner. He had strong ties to Joey Pa and he always wanted to draft a stud LB from penn state. He even says so in his book.
I agree that LB isnt a major need. I would love to see CB, OT or S addressed before LB.
The mocks that have us taking conner piss me off as well.
I think Shaun Williams (UCLA) was the last S we took in the first round. That makes me wonder if we will really go after Phillips.
April 7th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
There really isn’t a prospect that can play LT that will be avaiable at 32 that will be worth the pick. Kenny Phillips is the way to go if he’s available in my opinion.
April 7th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
That was before Reese. I would think he knows our needs well and will balance that out with the ‘best player available’ idea.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:49 am
Picket has it right!
“Antoine Cason, Reggie Smith, and Tyrell Johnson. Any two of the three”
Couldn’t agree more! A couple bad circumstances and we are hurting in the secondary (e.g. RWM gets cut, Madison gets hurt and Webster regresses). Get some young talent in the secondary!!!
April 8th, 2008 at 11:48 am
Sean-What about cherilus?? He could fall to us. How about Baker?? I think there are a couple of OT’s who would be worthy of the 31st pick.
April 8th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
HOW COME ITS ALWAYS A BUMB LINEBACKER FROM PENN STATE…NOT SOME STUD…….I HATE MOCK DRAFTS
April 8th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Not sure why everyone assumes Wilkinson is a starter. Has not been able to push into the lineup in 2 years. His injury was a 2-4 week thing 1 week into camp. If he was that good and athletic, I would think we’d have seen him more. I am hopeful because of his skill set, but hope is all it is at this point.
April 8th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
DOC- Cherilus can’t play LT in the pros, he’s a RT or guard prospect. Sam Baker might be worth the pick, but I personally don’t like the pick.
April 9th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
The Giants will take Keith Rivers with their first pick, AFTER they have swapped places with the Saints by giving up Shockey. Take it to the bank!!!!
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